The Jefferson County School District will lose eight employees at the end of the month. The mid-school year cuts are part of a plan to balance the district’s budget.
Jefferson schools remain under state financial control and part of the plan to balance the budget includes district staff layoffs. Superintendent Marianne Arbulu says two assistant principals, two bookkeepers, two staffers in her office and two administrative support positions will be cut.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has said the district has too many administrators for its size, and the state financial oversight board has pushed for administrative reductions as well. During a recent meeting of the financial oversight board Arbulu noted the position losses but was reluctant to speak in detail.
“We have identified positions that could be eliminated and I’m just not going to speak to that now because it wouldn’t be appropriate or fair to the staff members," she said at the time.
Arbulu was able to stave off closure of the district’s elementary school, although her board has said it may be time for a merger with the district's middle-high school.
